i-lon 10

[crab master]

I am working on putting in my first ilon 10 - ftt. Any points/suggestions/tips from anyone?

I've put in a LoyTec LIP is the only RNI I've worked with.

LonBoy - school me up some more. ;o)

FreezeStat - I've only dealt with the TAC 511 and have not used the LTA option yet. What do you use for the RNI on your jobs if you use one? Most of our jobs we've only used the 511, but we are getting more and more jobs that are 4+ hours one way to get to so I am trying to do what I can to not have to make site visits.

[Freeze Stat]

c/m,

Smart move to do as much over the web as you can.

We have only been using standard PCLTAs on machines running Vista Server. No remote stuff other than the 511 or integrating with a JACE (by others). The majority of our Lon projects have been very large campuses, or schools with many remote campuses, and Tridium has been flat spec'd.

Good luck with your iLON project. Keep us posted as to how it goes.

[amigo]

iLON10 is low performance, that is why it is inexpensive.
I suggest that it is only good for small jobs <30 nodes (ASCs). Of course you can put it on bigger jobs but slow.

iLON10 is no comparison to LIP which is a much higher performer.

[crab master]

This network has <20 nodes total. 9 ASC's and 7 PLC's, a web server and the i-lon 10.

[keyser_soze]

For the love of God, save yourself the aggravation and use an iLON100 (or the Loytec equivelant).

The iLON100 has a lot of XML crap you will probably never use, but at least the RNI performance is decent.

[sysint]

Originally posted by keyser_soze
For the love of God, save yourself the aggravation and use an iLON100 (or the Loytec equivelant).

The iLON100 has a lot of XML crap you will probably never use, but at least the RNI performance is decent.

We use that "XML crap" all the time. By the end of the year many more will too... it will be the most cost effective way to get a graphical interface to the web. (if it's not already)

[klrogers]

Whats the word on the iLON e3, when is going to be lanched? what improvements are we looking at? Circon are scheduling training for it, but Echelon has nothing on their site about it! Sysint- you have any info on it yet?

Kevin

[sysint]

Launching soon - nice. Some major new features.

[lonboy]

Crab,
I'm sure you know that the iLON10 only functions as an RNI (remote network interface) and has no webserver to speak of except for the configuration page. It is, like Amigo said, limited in performance - although better than the old SLTA. You can also connect a modem to the serial port and it does PPP (point to point protocol).
You might even be able to run IIS (Internet Information Services) on a remote server and bind points to it through the RNI. IIS could then serve up web pages for the GUI. Advantages are price (around 200 clams) and the fact that you don't have to maintain a PC onsite.
I agree with mi Amigo that you should probably limit it to only sites with a few nodes.
It works well though with LonMaker and other LNS tools that support RNI.
How do you plan to connect it to the internet?
You really should consider the iLON100 though with all of it's features for the price.
AFAIK, the e3 will be out around the end of Sept.

BTW, lonboy has left Echelon but will continue to cultivate the LON as a consultant, integrator, and trainer.

Cheers,
lb

[crab master]

My TAC 511 is my webserver and will handle all the customer's and technician's interface. The 511 does not have RNI with Lon. All that I give access to through the 511 can be changed remotely - setpoints, command points, etc. The only reason I need the ilon is so I can get on the network and make actual programming changes, such as when I make a change in Menta and then need to update the lon network. From what I am hearing this should work perfect for this application. Really once the ilon is in for a year I probably won't need it, unless a controller dies or they want to add something, then I could send the part down and use RNI to commission it and add/replace it on the Lm network - correct me if I am wrong.
The ilon is connected to ethernet and I can view the configuration page on the intranet and internet. I didn't have time before I left last week to add it to my Lm drawing, which I assume I simply add a generic router to my page as I would with the Loytec and configure settings as needed (FT-10 to ethernet) in Lm and then I should have an RNI.

BTW - LonBoy - are you on your own now or did you partner up?

[lonboy]

Crabmeister,
I'm going it solo. Still going to provide training and consulting for contractors but also do a few integration jobs. Got a basic website setup at http://www.enerlon.com
hastalavista,
lb

[crab master]

LonBoy -
Good luck to you on your new endeavor.

[crab master]

Originally posted by crab master
I assume I simply add a generic router to my page as I would with the Loytec and configure settings as needed (FT-10 to ethernet) in Lm and then I should have an RNI.



I stand corrected (not as bad when you correct yourself) - with the ilon 10 you do not need to add anything to your Lm drawing. When you connect to it by opening your drawing in Lm and using the xDriver entry name for your Network Interface Name Lm recognizes that that the LNS Net. Int. has changed and then commissions the ilon 10 and updates/upgrades your drawing to use the ilon 10 instead of the PCC-10/PCLTA10 in your laptop.
I do see what you mean though by it being a low performance device. When I download to a PLC it takes at least 10 times plus as long as it does when connected on site/using a LIP, but for this particular application it's all I needed and still faster than dial up. Thanks to all for the input.

[Edited by Crab Master on 09-02-2005 at 10:32 AM]

[tac-dude]

Small note regarding iLON-10 (and iLON-100 as RNI)...Before, if you have mulitple entries in X.Driver and one of them goes down while X.Driver is running, then the whole network gets jacked up. Not sure if Echelon ever corrected this problem.

[crab master]

When you say "the whole network gets jacked up" what do you mean happens exactly and what is the fix? A restore from a backup or what?

[tac-dude]

Sorry for that. Comm starts dropping to other iLONs. I think the fix is to restore the down iLONs and restart X.Driver. Not 100% or sure if Echelon has fixed it. We used iLON-1000s and now L-IPs. We have better success with VNI connections.

[crab master]

Ok. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks.